Chinese Army Chief's Visit and Pakistan-China Strategic Defence Ties
Dr. Syed Mehboob
Senior Business and Political Analyst
Pakistan-China has longstanding, historical, and all-weather relations. These relations cover multiple areas and sectors. Both countries have strong economic, social, political, and defence relations, which reflect the depth of their strategic relations. Both countries have strategic defence cooperation. Both countries have signed a number of defence agreements to promote defence cooperation to take existing bilateral military cooperation to new heights between the Armed Forces of Pakistan and the People’s Liberation Army. Defence dialogue has been conducted regularly since 2002. Dialogues cover military-to-military cooperation, collaboration between the defence industries, and global strategic issues. Under the self-reliance military programme, China assisted Pakistan in several projects. These include Taxila Heavy Industries, Heavy Forge and Foundry, Heavy Mechanical Complex, Heavy Re-Build Factory at Taxila, Ordinance factories, maritime industries, missile developments, and the Kamra Aeronautical Complex. Under a joint defence production of weapons and equipment between Pakistan and China, Pakistan Air Force has developed the JF-17 thunder jetfighter at the PAF Aeronautical Complex, and which has given an edge to PAF at air superiority in the region. The aircraft is a monument to all-weather iron friendship. Plans for the sale of the aircraft to other countries like Sri Lanka, Qatar, and Malaysia will help enhance Pakistan’s economic strength.
Chinese Defence cooperation has introduced a new element in Pakistan’s defence production capabilities that will help increase the country national income. China has also confirmed an agreement to sell eight submarines to Pakistan Navy. Half of these submarines will be built at the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Work, boosting Pakistan’s shipbuilding capacity. China has also assisted Pakistan in the provision of civil nuclear power plants and equipment and built plants in the Mianwali district which include Chasma I and Chasma II with 300 MW generation capacity for each plant. China is also helping Pakistan to install three more nuclear power plants at the same site i.e. Chasma III (340 MW), Chasma IV (340 MW), and Chasma V(1000 MW). China is building two more plants at Karachi i.e. K-Coastal II with an energy generation capacity of 1,100 MW from each plant. When fully operational, the total energy capacity of these nuclear plants would reach 3,380 MW of electricity, which will help alleviate Pakistan’s energy shortfall. All these plants have been and will be built under the safeguards of the lines of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The menace of terrorism is also handled by both sides from a security and military point of view to augment the existing military-to-military cooperation. Under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), more military cooperation has been taking place to ensure the safety of the Chinese workforce and Chinese-assisted projects all over the country, from Gwadar to Khunjrab. With growing security threats in the region, Pakistan and China have strengthened security-related military cooperation with each other over the past couple of years. China has been proven to be an increasing source of stability and security for Pakistan. Both countries have developed closer maritime defence cooperation with each other in the Indian Ocean and in the South China Sea in recent years. In February this year, both countries held a dialogue on maritime security in Islamabad to enhance bilateral maritime cooperation, navigation security, coast guard exchanges, marine scientific research and rescue, fisheries, and enhanced connectivity. The admirable point is that China has greatly reduced the gap between the use and purchase of weapons and equipment and their indigenous manufacturing in Pakistan over the years.
Analysts have given immense importance to the visit of Commander of the People’s Liberation Army Ground Forces Gen Li Qiaoming to Pakistan. During his visit to the General Headquarters Rawalpindi, there was a very important meeting between him and Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Hafiz Syed Asim Munir. The meeting offered an opportunity for in-depth discussions on matters of mutual interests, regional security, military training, and measures to further augment bilateral. Later, Gen Li called on Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.
The Talks at the GHQ focused on pressing regional security concerns, including the volatile situation along the Line of Control (LOC), the China-India border tensions, and the evolving dynamics in Kashmir and Afghanistan. Additionally, the discussions covered Pakistan’s strategic military modernization efforts, particularly its planned acquisitions from China, underscoring the deepening defence cooperation between the two countries.
The commander of the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) ground force is a pivotal figure in China’s military hierarchy, responsible for crafting the operational strategy and overseeing the operations of the country’s largest military branch.
General Hafiz Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff Pakistan, during the discussion, underscored the robust relations between the Pakistan Army and the People’s Liberation Army and highlighted the ongoing military cooperation.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warmly welcomed Gen Li to Pakistan and underscored that both countries are all-weather strategic cooperative partners and trusted friends. The Prime Minister underscored that deep-rooted bilateral ties enjoy broad public, political, and institutional support in Pakistan, making them indispensable for the progress and development of both countries.
Gen Li Qiaoming affirmed that China, as an iron brother, strategic partner, and reliable friend places the highest priority on its relationship with Pakistan. He expressed China’s desire to elevate the friendship to a new level of cooperation and collaboration. Recognizing the role of Pakistan’s armed forces in promoting regional peace and stability and combating terrorism, Gen Li reiterated the PLA’s commitment to further expanding its cooperation with Pakistan to enhance the capacity building of the two armed forces.
Under the dynamic and able leadership of President Xi Jinping, China is strengthening its military and introducing many reforms, and the PLA is going through revolutionary reforms. It is being equipped with strategic excellence in training and state-of-the-art technology, and is being provided with a strategic guarantee for comprehensively advancing Chinese modernization and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. China is willing to continuously deepen military cooperation with Pakistan and jointly build a closer Pakistan-China community with a shared future.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is the military of the People’s Republic of China and consists of four services Ground Force, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Rocket Force, and four arms: the Aerospace Force, the Cyberspace Force, the Information Support Force and the Joint Logistic Support Force. It is led by the Central Military Commission (CMC) with its chairman as Commander-in-Chief.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is the world’s largest military force and has the second-highest defence budget in the world. China’s military budget in 2023 was US$ 296 billion which was 12% of the total global defence budget. It is also one of the fastest-modernising militaries in the world and has been termed a potential military superpower. It has proved its efficiency and capability in the war with India, China-India War 1967, and the recent clash with the Indian army along the Chinese border.
In addition to wartime arrangements, the PLA is also involved in the peacetime operations of other components of the armed forces. The following is the mission of the PLA:
·The protection of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, internal security, and national development of China.
·Safeguarding the country’s interests
·Maintaining and safeguarding world peace
The People’s Liberation Army Ground Force(PLAGF) is the land-based service branch of the People’s Liberation Army ( PLA) and also its largest and oldest branch which was formed in 1927.
The People’s Liberation Army Air Force also referred as to the Chinese Air Force is an aerial service branch of the People’s Liberation Army. The Air Force is composed of five subbranches, aviation, ground-based air defense, radar, Airborne Corps, and other support elements.
The People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force Formally the Second Artillery Corps is the strategic and tactical missile force of the People’s Liberation Army. The PLARF is the 4th branch of the PLA and controls China’s arsenal of land-based ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles both nuclear and conventional.
The People’s Liberation Army Navy also known as the People’s Navy is the naval warfare branch of the People’s Liberation Army. It is composed of five sub-branches, The surface force, the Submarine Force, the coastal defence force, the Marine Corps, and the Naval Air Force with a strength of 252,000 pers |